Another Mare Question....

[ccpainthorses]

Ok Guys,

I was looking at the board and noticed alot of mare questions so I just thought, why not pick your brains a little more...lol. Here goes...

Buggy, a coming 5 year old mare is due May 11th. This will be her 2nd foal and to make matters worse her first foal was a total suprise! We're talking bought her in Dec., felt a kick in Feb, and had a colt in April, quite the suprise foal when she was suposed to be a maiden. So we don't know when she was bred last time which leads to the question is she an 11month mare or a 10.5 month mare, what are her normal signs, you know, all the important stuff.

This time she was bred INTENTIONALLY to OUR stallion and we know that at 340 days she is due May 11th, I know every breeding date and there is NO WAY he or any other stallion could have gotten to her without us knowing. Here is the question, she has JUST started developing a very small bag yet her rump is soft as jelly today, her sides are narrowing, her vulva is longer (not swollen but longer) and she has little to no tail tone. Top that off with her attitude taking a HUGE turn. She's never shared her food with anyone and now her 2y/o gelding is welcome to eat with her, and her normal shy attitude has turned very affectionate.
Now, last time she had a HUGE bag forever and it took untill the very end for her rump to soften and her vulva to lengthen, and she was pretty grumpy for the last month or 2. Pretty much opposite of everything she is doing now.

So, what might you all take from these signs? Like I said, she's a month off of her due date, but I know some mares go pretty early.

[chrystalpaths]

I'd say she is feeling preggers. If you are positive about dates I would say the hormones just shot up and she is getting to feeling in a "motherly way". I had a mare who was kinda witchy before and after but those 2 mos before she was a kitten. That said...watch her like a hawk!

[bndranch]

If I did my math correctly she could be due as early as April 20th???!!! Mares can go anywhere between 320-365 for a normal gestation. My mare's maiden year she foaled at 317 days (had problems) and this year she foaled at 343 (exact days in foal as she was AI'd). Their maiden year you can't really go by. Yes some mares are natorious for foaling early while others cook them extra good LOL. So in all reality she is pretty close to her due dates and I would have no reason to worry about her at this point. But if she is showing those signs I would definately keep a close eye on her!!